Tool



. Oct. 18, 1938. J] EMYER Er AL TooL ,. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed oct. 24,1936 Oct. 18, 1938. J. z. MYER E1- AL 2,133,752

TOOL

Filed Oct. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE TOOL James E. Myer, Washington, D'. O., and Paul E.Magerstadt, San Francisco, Calif., assignors' to Tim-ber EngineeringCompany, Washington,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a tool for use in connection with splitmetallic rings and more particularly those employed as timberconnectors.

The invention aims generally to provide an exceedingly simple,inexpensive and durable tool with which the connectors may beexpeditiously applied or extracted by expanding them into an enlargedeccentric shape and then in the case of extracting, by unitarilyrotating them and the attached tool about the central longitudinal' axisof the connector, accompanied by slight lifting motion along said axisof the connector. It is additionally aimed to provide embodiments of theinvention in both a single piece and in relatively movable pieces orlevers.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating operative embodiments, by way ofexample.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved tool in theone-piece form positioned to insert a connector;

Figure 2 is an inverted or bottom plan view of the said tool attached toa connector;

Figure 3 is a view showing the said tool applied to a connector, theformer being in side elevation and the latter in section;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective fragmentarily showing a modification ofsaid tool;

Figure 5 is a top plan view showing the tool in use in extracting aconnector from the groove by rotary action;

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the tool in use in extracting aconnector by prying action;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a timber provided with a connector receivinggroove, and

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or similar parts, and first to the form of Figures 1 to3, a timber connector of the type in connection with which the inventionis primarily used is shown at 9. This connector is a metallic ring,split at IO, which is seated for about half its length in an annulargroove II of a timber |2, the half or portion of the connector shownprojecting beyond the timber being adapted to enter an annular groove ofan associated or connected timber which bears against that face oftimber I 2 in which groove I l is provided. Said connector or split ring9 contracts about and tightly embraces the core |3 of the timbersurrounded by said groove il. Attention is directed to the fact thatsaid groove I i is of greater diameter than the connector so that thelatter in applying it to the groove ll may be in expanded condition.Such connectors 9 are usually made of steel, are very strong andheretofore it has been diflicult to expeditiously apply and remove them.

One form of the improved tool of the present invention is shown inFigures 1 to 4, and while it may be used in removing the connectors itis primarily used in applying the connectors to the grooves formed inthe timbers, Figures 7 and 8. Such tool may be a metallic bar having ahandle portion I5 and a work portion IB, which portions may be straightbut are preferably disposed at about 30 to each other, as best shown inFigure 3. Adjacent the junction of said portions, a slot or notch l'l isprovided in the lower edge of the bar, chamfered at the lower portion |8of that side wall remote to the handle portion which is designated |9. Aslot or notch 20 is provided in the lower free corner of the workportion IB in which there is a side wall 2|. The distance between theside wall 2| of slot 20 and the lower end of the chamfered portion |8 isabout the same as the diameter of the bore of the connector and ofcourse the distance between said side wall 2| and wall |9 is greaterthan the diameter of the bore of the connector or ring IO. v

In the use of this form of the device, it is first positioned on theconnector or ring 9 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, thelongitudinal axis of the tool preferably being at a right angle to thediametric line passing through the split of ring 9. Thus applied, wall2| engages the inner wall of the connector and chamfer |8 engages thesame wall at a diametrically opposite point, whereupon handle portion |5is forcibly depressed causing the chamfer IB to exert a camming orwedging action on the ring with wall I9 moving into place, as shown infull lines in Figures 1 and 3, thereby expanding the connector ring tofit the groove l I. It will be realized that the contractile action ofthe ring on the engaged parts of the tool |4 is considerable hence thesame and ring as a unit are adapted to be handled for the convenientinsertion of the ring into a timber groove by pressure combined withslight rotation. After such insertion the ring may be freed from thetool by a sharp blow whereupon the connector 50 seats itself within thegroove.

Since the connectors or split rings 9 in practice are employed indifferent sizes, the same tool may be constructed for use with more thanone size. To this end, the work portion |6 may 55 have slots 22 and 23for use with a connector 9 of smaller size, in exactly the same manneras the slots 20 and I'l, respectively.

As shown in Figure 4 the free end of the handle |5', which correspondsto the handle |5 of the first described form, may have one or more slots24 and 25 therein, of different depths for engagement with rings 9 ofdifferent sizes, to remove them from the grooves through a Verticalprying action of the tool, after the manner shown in Figure 6 but withthe handle substantially Vertical instead of horizontal as in Figure 6.

For similar removal this form of the tool may be utilized as shown inFigures 5 and 6. In Figure 5 the slot 22 is placed over the unseatedupper edge of the ring 9, as in Figure 6, and the tool moved in thedirection of the arrow from the position shown in dotted lines in Figure5 to the full line position shown. This movement causes the slotI 22 tobind the ring 9. Further movement of the tool in the same directionrotates the ring within its slot which movement, accompanied by a slightlifting of the tool, releases the ring from the groove.

For removal of the connectors by horizontal prying action the tool isused as shown in Figure 6. In this action the slot 22 is engaged withthe upper part of the ring 9 as shown in full lines. Downward pressureupon the tool handle causes the slot 22 to bend the connector until theposition of the tool shown in dotted lines is reached. During thistravel of the tool a combined lifting and expanding force has beentransmitted to the conneotor causing it to release its hold of the slotand move vertically out of the groove using that portion of the ringunder the slot 22 as a pivot.

It is preferred to form the handle portion M at an angle of about 30 tothe notched or working portion, for convenience in use but obviously thewhole tool may be in alignment if desired.

The language spaced slots as used in the claim is intended to includethe notch 20 as this may be considered as a slot With one non-operatingwall removed. It is also obvious that the non-Operating wall of slot I'lmay be removed so that this slot also would become a notch withoutchange in the action of the tool.

Minor changes may be made within the scope of the following claimwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A split-ring connector tool comprislng a rigid member having spacedslots each presenting a wall, said walls spaced apart a greater distancethan the normal inside diameter of a connector, one of said walls toengage an inner surface of the connector having a beveled portioninclined toward the bottom of its slot, said walls being engageable withthe connector with the beveled portion in contact with an inner cornerof the ring so that depression of the tool will cause said walls toenter and expand the connector and attachthe tool thereto.

JAMES E. MYER.. PAUL E. MAGERSTADT.

